Yep. Again, I think that's a bit of that arrogance that the Australians have been guilty of. Probably should have declared when Hodge reached 150 instead of waiting till he made 200.

As boring as Ponting's captaincy is i think that 4 sessions is enough time to bowl SA out . But he shows no flair with bowling changes... just let Warne bowl half the overs and rotate quicks at other end .

Have been impressed by SA character today

" i think that 4 sessions is enough time to bowl SA out"

To bowl out a team who's only goal is to not get bowled out?

Declaring earlier would've given them a bit more time to bowl them out, and a better chance of taking wickets (since SA would've been playing shots).

Maybe he did make the right decision and it just didn't play our way. Pretty easy to be critical when we didn't win.

In my opinion Ponting is a very ordinary captain.

Steve Waugh at times made declarations where it was just possible to lose in order to win.

If Ponting had declared with a lead of just over 400 there would have been much more time to bowl. In addition South Africa, after plenty of time in the field, would have had to face more overs on Monday when they were likely to lose wickets. They lost two in the last session Monday, but only three the whole of Tuesday.

Why wasn't Symonds bowled? Why did Warne bowl over after over from the one end? What was Ponting doing with just a couple of attacking fieldsman when Hodge was bowling?